Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Wisconsin Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE AND SUPPORT ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT IGNITE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH.
- Income
- $1.3 million
- Spending
- $1.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 18.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 93%
- Employees
- 17
- Volunteers
- 541
- Highest pay
- $108,388, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 86 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.4 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
12 of 15Income exceeded spending by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 12% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 20 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $823,149 spent. IN 2025, BBBS SERVED 466 TOTAL YOUTH. 227 YOUTH WERE SERVED IN COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING 239 YOUTH WERE SERVED IN SITE BASED MENTORING ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING PROGRAMS ARE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING OR SITE-BASED MENTORING DETAILED BELOW. COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING TOGETHER, BIGS AND LITTLES EXPLORE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SHARE FUN ACTIVITIES THEY BOTH ENJOY. BBBS STAFF WORKS WITH BIGS, LITTLES, AND LITTLES FAMILIES TO ENCOURAGE A CONTINUOUS RELATIONSHIP AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN FUN AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SPORTS BUDDIES A COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THAT MATCHES BIGS AND LITTLES WHO HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN SPORTS AND FITNESS OR JUST LIKE BEING ACTIVE. MATCHES SPEND TIME TOGETHER ENGAGING IN FUN AND POSITIVE SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND ONCE A MONTH THEY ATTEND A SPORTS BUDDIES EVENT FACILITATED BY BBBS STAFF. BIG FUTURES-WHEN LITTLES ENTER HIGH SCHOOL, BBBSECW CONTINUES TO SUPPORT, COACH AND PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR MATCHES AS THEY WORK TOWARD GRADUATION. MATCHES PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS, WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES TOWARDS POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, ENLISTMENT, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SITE-BASED MENTORING SIMILAR TO COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING BUT SITE-BASED MENTORING TAKES PLACE AT A DESIGNATED FACILITIES SOMETIMES A SCHOOL, COMMUNITY CENTER OR EVEN A LOCAL BUSINESS. OUR FACILITATED PROGRAMS ARE LED BY A BBBS STAFF MEMBER AND INCLUDES TIME FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, A STRUCTURED GROUP ACTIVITY AND FREE TIME TO SHARE STORIES AND INTERESTS TOGETHER. BBBS OFFERS FOUR SITE-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMS: BIGS IN SCHOOL BIGS VISIT THEIR LITTLES AT SCHOOL, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER OR DURING LUNCH/RECESS. MATCHES SPEND TIME WORKING ON HOMEWORK, READING, OR PLAYING GAMES. THEY MEET DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR AND CONNECT OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS. HIGH SCHOOL BIGS TAKING PLACE AT SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL BIGS MATCHES ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED LITTLES WITH HIGH SCHOOL BIGS FROM THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS PROGRAM TAKES PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY/AFTERSCHOOL AND IS FACILITATED BY A BBBS STAFF PERSON. WORKPLACE MENTORING THIS PROGRAM PAIRS SPECIFIC WORKPLACES WITH AREA SCHOOLS. LITTLES ARE TRANSPORTED FROM THEIR SCHOOL TO THE WORKPLACE, AFTER SCHOOL, TWICE PER MONTH TO MEET WITH THEIR MENTOR WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE AT THE WORKPLACE. WORKPLACE MENTORING IS FACILITATED BY A BBBS STAFF PERSON AND ENABLES STUDENTS TO SEE A FUTURE BEYOND SCHOOL. BIGS WITH BADGES THE BIGS WITH BADGES PROGRAM FOCUSES ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. POLICE OFFICERS (BIGS) SPEND ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING TIME WITH A LITTLE AT THEIR SCHOOL TWICE A MONTH AND DO A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES AROUND SENSE OF COMMUNITY, BELONGING AND SELF-CONFIDENCE, PEACEFUL PROBLEM SOLVING AND GOOD DECISION MAKING. THESE RELATIONSHIPS HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP INTO CONFIDENT ADULTS AND HELP BUILD STRONGER BONDS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FAMILIES THEY SERVE. IN 2025, BBBS SERVED 466 TOTAL YOUTH. 227 YOUTH WERE SERVED IN COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING 239 YOUTH WERE SERVED IN SITE BASED MENTORING ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING PROGRAMS ARE COMPRISED OF COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING OR SITE-BASED MENTORING DETAILED BELOW. COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING TOGETHER, BIGS AND LITTLES EXPLORE THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AND SHARE FUN ACTIVITIES THEY BOTH ENJOY. BBBS STAFF WORKS WITH BIGS, LITTLES, AND LITTLES FAMILIES TO ENCOURAGE A CONTINUOUS RELATIONSHIP AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN FUN AND ENGAGING ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SPORTS BUDDIES A COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORSHIP PROGRAM THAT MATCHES BIGS AND LITTLES WHO HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN SPORTS AND FITNESS OR JUST LIKE BEING ACTIVE. MATCHES SPEND TIME TOGETHER ENGAGING IN FUN AND POSITIVE SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND ONCE A MONTH THEY ATTEND A SPORTS BUDDIES EVENT FACILITATED BY BBBS STAFF. BIG FUTURES-WHEN LITTLES ENTER HIGH SCHOOL, BBBSECW CONTINUES TO SUPPORT, COACH AND PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR MATCHES AS THEY WORK TOWARD GRADUATION. MATCHES PARTICIPATE IN EVENTS, WORKSHOPS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO MAKE POSITIVE CHOICES TOWARDS POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, ENLISTMENT, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. SITE-BASED MENTORING SIMILAR TO COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING BUT SITE-BASED MENTORING TAKES PLACE AT A DESIGNATED FACILITIES SOMETIMES A SCHOOL, COMMUNITY CENTER OR EVEN A LOCAL BUSINESS. OUR FACILITATED PROGRAMS ARE LED BY A BBBS STAFF MEMBER AND INCLUDES TIME FOR RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, A STRUCTURED GROUP ACTIVITY AND FREE TIME TO SHARE STORIES AND INTERESTS TOGETHER. BBBS OFFERS FOUR SITE-BASED MENTORING PROGRAMS: BIGS IN SCHOOL BIGS VISIT THEIR LITTLES AT SCHOOL, EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER OR DURING LUNCH/RECESS. MATCHES SPEND TIME WORKING ON HOMEWORK, READING, OR PLAYING GAMES. THEY MEET DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAR AND CONNECT OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS. HIGH SCHOOL BIGS TAKING PLACE AT SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL BIGS MATCHES ELEMENTARY OR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGED LITTLES WITH HIGH SCHOOL BIGS FROM THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT. THIS PROGRAM TAKES PLACE DURING THE SCHOOL DAY/AFTERSCHOOL AND IS FACILITATED BY A BBBS STAFF PERSON. WORKPLACE MENTORING THIS PROGRAM PAIRS SPECIFIC WORKPLACES WITH AREA SCHOOLS. LITTLES ARE TRANSPORTED FROM THEIR SCHOOL TO THE WORKPLACE, AFTER SCHOOL, TWICE PER MONTH TO MEET WITH THEIR MENTOR WHO IS AN EMPLOYEE AT THE WORKPLACE. WORKPLACE MENTORING IS FACILITATED BY A BBBS STAFF PERSON AND ENABLES STUDENTS TO SEE A FUTURE BEYOND SCHOOL. BIGS WITH BADGES THE BIGS WITH BADGES PROGRAM FOCUSES ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. POLICE OFFICERS (BIGS) SPEND ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING TIME WITH A LITTLE AT THEIR SCHOOL TWICE A MONTH AND DO A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES AROUND SENSE OF COMMUNITY, BELONGING AND SELF-CONFIDENCE, PEACEFUL PROBLEM SOLVING AND GOOD DECISION MAKING. THESE RELATIONSHIPS HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP INTO CONFIDENT ADULTS AND HELP BUILD STRONGER BONDS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE FAMILIES THEY SERVE.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 1967.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.